THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University head men's basketball coach Austin Claunch has resigned from his position to become an assistant at the University of Alabama. 
 
Claunch leaves Nicholls with a 90-61 overall record and a 58-28 mark in the Southland in his five seasons as head coach. After helping the Colonels to a regular season title as an assistant in 2018, he guided Nicholls to a pair of outright league championships in 2021 and '22. 
 
Promoted to head coach in 2018-19 at 28 years old, Claunch was the youngest head coach in Division I men's basketball for three seasons and was the second youngest in the last two. 
 
Claunch was named Southland Coach of the Year following his first championship in the 2020-21 season. He led the Colonels to double figures in league victories in four straight years, matching the previous best in team history which happened from 1991-95. 
 
The Colonels finished 16-15 overall this season, matching the program's best of four consecutive winning campaigns. Nicholls claimed 21 victories in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons and the '22 squad also played in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) for the first time in program history.
 
During his tenure, Claunch had a total of 11 All-Southland selections which included three first-team honorees. Ty Gordon was a repeat selection in addition to being named Southland Newcomer of the Year in 2021 and Player of the Year in '22. This past season, Caleb Huffman landed on first team. 
 
Claunch will be joining an Alabama program that was ranked No. 1 in the nation this season and earned the top seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide had a historic campaign that included winning the SEC regular season and tournament titles. 
 
A national search for a replacement will begin immediately.